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IMG Films & Gabriel Polsky Productions In Search of Greatness A film by Gabe Polsky RUNNING TIME: 80 minutes PRESS NOTES Distributor Contact: Sean Carey Art of Sport (917) 747-2351 [email protected] SYNOPSIS From award-winning filmmaker Gabe Polsky (“Red Army”, “Genius”) IN SEARCH OF ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ GREATNESS is a groundbreaking feature documentary revealing the true nature and nurture of the greatest athletes of all time, including Wayne Gretzky, Pelé, Jerry Rice, Muhammad Ali, Venus & Serena Williams, Michael Jordan and others. Through a series of intimate conversations and captivating footage, Polsky leads viewers on an entertaining, thrilling, and inspiring personal journey. IN SEARCH OF GREATNESS is a groundbreaking film by Gabe Polsky (Red Army, Genius) revealing the true nature and nurture of the greatest athletes of all time. Through a series of intimate conversations and captivating footage, Polsky leads viewers on an entertaining, thrilling, and inspiring personal journey. The film features original interviews with iconic athletes Wayne Gretzky, Pelé, and Jerry Rice, as well as renowned thought leaders, Sir Ken Robinson and David Epstein. DIRECTOR’S STATEMENT IN SEARCH OF GREATNESS is a deeply personal film, exploring ideas I’ve meditated on my entire life. Specifically, the enigmatic nature of greatness and how it can be cultivated and ultimately defined. The scope of the film resonates beyond the world of sport to realms of self-expression, psychology philosophy, and human nature. Through my career in both sports and the arts, I’ve come to witness fundamental flaws in mainstream paths to success. Our society encourages formulaic approaches to chasing dreams. We’re reduced to numbers and resumes, and inadvertently “live to retire” as Alan Watts suggests before the credits roll. These icons’ trajectories prove that mastery cannot be manufactured. That the systems meant to cultivate us often stifle us instead, discouraging qualities that typically define those who leave a mark on the world: imagination, instinct and individuality. In a culture at risk of losing its soul to systems of all varieties, these ideas seem more vital than ever. How can a society so obsessed with success fail to understand its essence? Too many coaches, teachers and CEOs misunderstand what makes a person thrive. They can’t see when the next Mozart stands before them . In 2014, when I premiered my film Red Army at the Toronto International Film Festival, Wayne Gretzky happened to be in the audience. His unique style, vision, and artistry made him my childhood hero and I couldn’t possibly have anticipated he’d lead my next and most personal film to date. To me Gretzky was a perfect example of how somebody with unorthodox style and counterintuitive ability would use his personal creativity to dominate and change the game. I was eager to explore sport—a mainstream field—from a philosophical, unorthodox vantage point to look deeply at a commercial enterprise . I’m thrilled that Gretzky and the other sporting icons in this piece felt moved to help me navigate this territory. -Gabe Polsky FEATURING PELÉ - The greatest soccer player in history. He is a three-time World Cup Champion ​ ​ for his native country Brazil (‘58, ‘62, ‘70) and the all-time leading scorer in the history of the sport with 1,281 goals. JERRY RICE - The greatest wide receiver to ever play the game. He played 20 seasons ​ in the NFL, winning 3 Super Bowl Championships with the San Francisco 49ers (‘88, ‘89, ‘95), and the Super Bowl MVP Honor in 1988. He is the all-time leader in most major statistical categories for wide receivers. WAYNE GRETZKY - “The Great One”, is the best hockey player of all time. Gretzky ​ ​ ​ played in 20 NHL seasons and won four Stanley Cups with the Edmonton Oilers (‘84, ‘85, ‘87, ‘88). He holds 60 Records including most career regular season goals (894), most assists (1,963), most points (2,857), and most hat tricks (50). SIR KEN ROBINSON - Sir Ken Robinson works with some of the world’s leading ​ cultural organizations. He is the most watched speaker in TED’s history. His 2006 talk, “Do Schools Kill Creativity” has been viewed online over 40 million times and seen by an estimated 350 million people. DAVID EPSTEIN - Epstein is the author of The Sports Gene, a Top 10 New York ​ Times best-seller and hailed as the best non-fiction book of 2013 by The Washington Post and Publisher’s Weekly. He has Master’s degrees in Environmental Science and Journalism from Columbia University. ABOUT THE FILMMAKERS Gabe Polsky – Director, Writer, & Producer Gabe Polsky directed, produced and wrote the feature documentary “Red Army,” which ​ ​ was released to unanimous critical acclaim and box-office success by Sony Pictures Classics in 2015. Executive produced by Werner Herzog and Jerry Weintraub, the film premiered at the 2014 Cannes Film Festival went on to win many awards. In 2017, Gabe Executive Produced, Genius, a 10 time Emmyânominated television series on National ​ ​ Geographic about Albert Einstein. Polsky’s latest film, In Search of Greatness, will be released theatrically in the fall ​ ​ 2018. The film is a cinematic journey into the secrets of greatness through the eyes of the greatest athletes of all time. It has been recognized as an “early Oscar contender” by the Hollywood Reporter. Polsky is currently making Red Penguins a documentary that ​ ​ follows the Pittsburgh Penguins attempt to partner with the Red Army hockey team in Moscow during Russia’s tumultuous transition in the 1990s. Previously, Polsky co-directed the acclaimed “The Motel Life” starring Emile Hirsch, ​ ​ Dakota Fanning, and Stephen Dorff. The film won numerous international awards. Polsky was commissioned by The New Yorker to make a short documentary called “The ​ ​ ​ Blimp-Maker.” Additional producing credits include: Werner Herzog’s “Bad ​ ​ Lieutenant: Port of Call New Orleans,” which was named in over 40 top-ten lists of the ​ Best Films in 2009; “His Way,” an Emmyânominated documentary released by HBO in ​ ​ 2011; and “Little Birds,” which was named among the top ten independent films of 2012 ​ ​ by the National Board of Review. Polsky is directing his adaptations of the National Book Award winning “Going After ​ Cacciato” by Tim O’Brien for Amazon Studios as well as the acclaimed novel ​ “Butcher’s Crossing” by John Williams, and the novel “Flowers for Algernon” by ​ ​ ​ ​ Daniel Keyes. IMG Films - Production Partner Founded in 1960 with a single deal that would prove the advent of modern-day sports marketing, IMG is now a global leader in sports, events, media and fashion, operating in more than 30 countries. The company represents and manages some of the world’s greatest sports figures and fashion icons; stages hundreds of live events and branded entertainment experiences annually; and is one of the largest independent producers and distributors of sports media. IMG also specializes in sports training; league development; and marketing, media and licensing for brands, sports organizations and collegiate institutions. In 2014, IMG was acquired by WME, a leading global entertainment agency, to form Endeavor. CREDITS Directed, Written, and Produced by Gabe Polsky Executive Producers Will Staeger & Michael Antinoro Executive Producers Alan Polsky & Liam Satre-Meloy Co-Producer Anthony Melillo III Associate Producers Kathleen Peiris and Siobhan Schanda Director of Photography Svetlana Cvetko Editor Marco Capalbo Music Composed By Leo Birenberg Interviews Jerry Rice Wayne Gretzky Pelé David Epstein Sir Ken Robinson EARLY PRESS REACTIONS “Rarely have I encountered a sports movie as smart or thrilling as this one — it makes one look at the world of sports, and beyond, in an entirely different way." - Scott Feinberg, The Hollywood Reporter ​ “Great characters and filmed beautifully. It's Gladwellian polemical side--soulful and persuasive-- is adulterated well with trademark oddness--the lingering-a-little-too-long shots, the B-roll, and the clincher, the Walter Gretzky singing "Que Sera." Perfect pitch!” - Nick Paumgarten, The New Yorker ​ “Wayne Gretzky. Jerry Rice. Pele. In Search of Greatness gives us unprecedented access to – and understanding of – the true source of their athletic genius. A must see for athletes, parents, coaches, and just about anyone interested in the upper limit of human achievement.” - Ben Reiter, Sports Illustrated ​ “An intricately made film which gives compelling insight into what it takes to be the best. Inspiring material for sports lovers and non-sports lovers alike.” - Alicia Malone, Fandango ​.

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